Health
iPods, MP3 could cause hearing loss
By IANS
Feb 7, 2006, 02:53

Improper use of iPods and MP3 that involve listening to your favourite music at high decibels could impair hearing, warn scientists.

In a statement Paul R. Kileny, director of audiology at the University of Michigan, said that the music listening devices aren't inherently unhealthy and can cause hearing loss if used improperly, reported the health portal HealthCentral.

iPods and MP3 players are light, fit comfortably into the ear and hold a lifetime of music. That means that for some, they are irresistible for many hours a day - and that can speed up hearing loss, he said.

If conversations and other noises are blocked, the player is too loud. Kileny posited that future generations of the machines might best be fitted with lights or some other notice of excessive decibel measures.

Representatives at Apple and Sony, two of the biggest manufacturers of these appliances, did not respond to questions. But one industry association agreed with Kileny's advice.

Jennifer Boone, spokeswoman for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), cautioned: "CEA and our manufacturers recommend avoiding prolonged exposure to loud noise. Listen to music at reasonable levels and avoid prolonged exposure."

Exposure to loud noise can damage the soft tissue of the ear, causing hearing loss. About 10 million Americans have this kind of hearing problem according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, he said.

Earlier, a study showed that too much noise can also lead to tinnitus, a ringing, whistling or clicking in the ears. The American Tinnitus Association estimates that up to 90 percent of tinnitus patients have some level of noise-induced hearing loss.

The current concern about MP3s is slightly different from previous warnings about loud concerts, or the Walkman you put away when you got the iPod. The difference is one of degree.

Ears recover, or seem to, from raucous rock concerts, though over years of concerts the damage is done, said Kileny. And most people weren't comfortable enough with the weight of a Walkman or clunky headphones to keep them on long enough to do harm, he said.

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